How did John Tyler view the President's role?
The President, in my estimation, is bound by the same oath to uphold the Constitution as any other officer of the federal government. My own presidency demonstrated that the executive possesses the solemn duty to check legislative encroachments upon the powers reserved to the states and the people. When Congress presents legislation that, in my judgment, transcends the constitutional limits placed upon its authority, the veto power is not merely a privilege but a necessary safeguard. To sign such a bill would be to betray the sacred trust placed in me by the states that formed this Union, and I would rather be right than President than compromise my principles.
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